


Memories of Tulips

by ReformedTsundere



Series: Star Trek Prompts [2]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: A little angst, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, F/F, I Don't Even Know, Prompt Fill, a little fluff, first time writing f/f, i don't know Uhura's life story, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-22
Updated: 2016-09-22
Packaged: 2018-08-16 17:57:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8111932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReformedTsundere/pseuds/ReformedTsundere
Summary: T'Pring shows up to Uhura's apartment for a date with flowers.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt fill from my tumblr, I've never written F/F or these characters or pairing before, it's probably not the best, I also took liberties with Uhura's past. Yeah...

“I’m not sure if your custom’s version of dating involves tulips.”

Nyota stood there, T’Pring in her doorway, the Vulcan, clasping three rembrandt tulips in her slim hands, the petals like little flames. As much as Nyota loved the gesture, there was a pit of unease rolling through her stomach. She knows those flowers, recognizes them intimately and balks away from the sweet gesture from the other.

T’Pring was confused as to why her lover had not allowed her entrance but did not step further into Nyota’s alcove when she recognized the distress pulling itself across the other woman’s face. She was staring at the flowers in T’Pring’s hands and the Vulcan was confused further. Her studies of human displays of affection included the exchanging of flowers, while T’Pring had not known if tulips would be acceptable, she had taken the risk. Now the Vulcan was doubting her choice.

Nyota’s eyes don’t leave the flowers as her mind was pulled back in time thirteen years. She was sixteen years of age and it was raining. Her grandmother stood by her side, hand on her shoulder as they were drenched through their black garments, the torrential down pour reflecting the fact that Nyota’s world was falling apart and crashing down around her.

In front of her and her grandmother were two coffins, both equal in size, ebony boxes with silver handles, two different Starfleet insignias stamped in the center each. One for the Science Division, the other for Operations.  
Nyota felt the tears running down her face. In the back of her mind she registered T’Pring making some kind of distressed noise and entering Nyota’s apartment, shutting the door behind her.

They had said it was natives of an unexplored planet, some kind of miscommunication, her parents had been the only casualties. Buying time for the others of their away party to get back to their ship. They had died heroes. That didn’t change the fact that they died.

Nyota and her grandmother were the only two left, the works had held off putting the coffins in the ground for them. In her grandmothers hands were tulips, the colors of flames, yellow and red and Nyota knew that she would never forget their color, how they stood out, stark and jarring against the dull environment that surrounded them.

They were a particularly rare breed of tulip that Nyota had figured she’d never see again. In the end she hadn’t even been able to place them on her parent’s coffins as they were lowered into the ground.

A sudden, very real touch brings Nyota back to the surface of reality. There are tears still running from her eyes, T’Pring’s cool fingers on her bare upper arm. Nyota shudders under the touch and realizes that the flowers she had once been staring at are gone. T’Pring had discarded them quickly once she had ascertained that they were the cause of her lover's emotional distress.

Nyota took a stuttering breath, her hands were shaking from the memory.

“Sorry T’Pring, I -” Nyota’s voice was choked as she felt a sob coming to the surface, a new wave of forgotten sorrow building up behind her usually calm facade. T’Pring’s eyebrows pull together as she steps closer to the human.

“It is alright Ashaya, I have caused this distress, please, allow me to understand.” T’Pring’s hand slid up Nyota’s neck, traveling towards her psy-points but not connecting with them. Never without Nyota’s express permission and in a situation as such would the Vulcan do such a thing.

Nyota tries to choke back a sob and nodds. T’Pring would help, being connected to the other would calm her as it always did.

T’Pring nodded solemnly and placed her slender fingers against Nyota’s face, taking in a deep breath the women indicated the connection.

Nyota let out a soft sigh, her sobs stopping at the first touch of their bond coming to the forefront of her mind.

If the human were to try and describe what the bond between them looked like she would say that it looked like tendras of soft light brushing against her very conscious, connecting to her in a way no one had ever before, it was gentle, warm, like a full body hug.

In that moment she shared her memories, her feelings, the deep sorrow that cut through her soul at seeing those flowers, and T’Pring understood and soothed with her intellect, her calm presence a rock in the storm that was Nyota’s mind.

After a few moments the tears on Nyota’s face were dry and she and T’Pring were in a gentle embrace.

Slowly, as to not cause further distress, the Vulcan drew her hands away from Nyota’s face, their bond still thrummed, content, even after the physical gateway had been removed.

Nyota pulled back slightly from the hug and swallowed the last of her tears back. She could never fully express the adoration she felt for the being in front of her. She knew that T’Pring understood nevertheless.

“I am sorry that my lack of foresight has caused you such pain, I mourn with thee.” Nyota smiled up at the Vulcan, soft and forgiving.

“You didn’t know.” T’Pring’s eyebrow rose softly.

“I am still sorry.” Nyota rested her head against the other’s shoulder, falling back into embrace. She brought her middle and index finger to T’Pring’s, the Vulcan kiss send a thrill of warmth through both of them.

Nyota pulled away from both the hug and the kiss.

“Let’s go on that date now.” T’Pring nodded and extended her arm for Nyota to take.

“Affirmative.” They left the house together.


End file.
